7 key changes Hansi Flick has implemented at Barcelona to explain current success

Barcelona went into the season optimistic about improvement from last season, but still weighed down by off-the-pitch problems, and without much expectation of challenging Real Madrid. However 106 days after Hansi Flick took over, they could barely be sitting prettier.

The Catalan giants have only lost twice all season, to Osasuna and AS Monaco, and sit six points clear in La Liga, after a week involving exorcisms of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. Both games saw Barcelona finish comfortably, putting four goals past both Manuel Neuer and Andriy Lunin.

According to Sport, his success can be put down to a number of key factors, which player manager Bojan Krkic and Sporting Director Deco came back excited about after meeting with the German to discuss the job for the first time. His first principle was to install more intensity into their game, and the appointment of a new head of fitness coaching Julio Tous has been appreciated by Flick.

The German manager not only wanted to change their training, but also their habits. The Blaugrana squad now spend more time at the training ground, and are obliged to eat there together after training sessions. Barcelona also stay over after some games, and has modified their travel schedule to prioritise rest and training sessions, as opposed to players spending more time with their families.

While comparison to a military disciplinarian have been downplayed, Flick does like to have rules and structure. He has no problem calling players out, and has done so, also dropping Jules Kounde against Alaves for arriving late to a team talk. The ex-Bayern Munich manager demands the utmost professionalism from his charges.

All the same, Flick is aware that players will only submit to that discipline if they are enjoying themselves. He believes that is a key factor in their journey to success, and tries to ensure that is the case on a day to day basis.

On the pitch, Flick has opted for a simple but aggressive tactical plan, as evidenced by their exemplary offside line so far, catching the opposition offside 77 times this season so far. A high defensive line, intense pressing, a compact team shape and brave defenders have been the tenets of their early success, and Flick has not asked his team to alter their ideas, outside of small adjustments, regardless of the opposition.

Off the pitch, Flick detected that there was a lack of team spirit, and has been working on that since he arrived. He limits individual praise, instead highlighting the work of the group, and when it comes to discipline, all players receive the same treatment. Flick has been managing the egos of players, and has improved relations between two of the teams stars, Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal.

One of the characteristics of the end of Xavi Hernandez’s spell was the near constant drama and new stories that were coming out of the club, and by no means always down to him. Flick made it clear when he arrived that they needed a much more stable day-to-day life at Barcelona in order to get the best out of the players. Along the same lines, Flick is now preaching calm, and does not want his players to get sucked into the euphoria of their wins over Madrid and Bayern.

Certainly it is difficult to criticise Flick too much so far, with almost all of his players responding well to his methods so far. It is early on in his reign, and early in a long season, but few could have even contemplated things going so well so early. Now that he has increased the level, he will have to keep them there.